ATO Soldier Voluntarily Surrenders to LPR After Refusing to Tolerate the Lawlessness in the UAF

Translated by Ollie Richardson & Angelina Siard

13:52:45 12/05/2017

“I – Taras Gapyak, born on 03.10.1994 in the Lvov region, served under contract in October, 2016, then I was taken for training. We were trained by Ukrainian and American instructors. In 2 months we were sent to the zone of the so-called ‘anti-terrorist operation’. We were shooting either at the order of officers, or at our discretion, we often drank alcoholic drinks, I had conflicts because of it.

Nobody wants to be at war, everyone wants to leave, nobody sees sense in this war. We are not allowed vacations. 2-3 times a week the Ukrainian military takes alcoholic drinks and at the same time their weapons are always with them, opening fire whilst drunk has happened,” described the captured serviceman of the UAF.

“The equipment is in bad condition, it’s not always repaired in time, for example, one car moves but doesn’t shoot, another shoots but doesn’t move. As a commander I receive a wage of 8,000 UAH, and 6,000 UAH for being in the ATO zone. People don’t want to serve. There are many incomplete units, some over-served whilst we are not allowed vacations or a day off.

If the order for an offensive arrives, there is nothing to implement it with, and morally everyone is very much tired, and don’t see the sense in this,” added Taras Gapyak.

“Under the current authorities it became very difficult to live, prices inflate, and salaries remain the same,” he noted.